Didacta Association Calls for Urgent Education Reforms as Germany Slips in Rankings
The Didacta Association, representing Germany's education industry, has reviewed the draft coalition agreement of the incoming CDU/CSU and SPD government. President Dr. Theodor Niehaus highlights Germany's decline in international education rankings and calls for urgent reforms.
The association recommends setting clear educational goals in collaboration with all stakeholders. It also suggests bolstering teaching staff through further training and reducing bureaucratic hurdles in school education.
Dr. Niehaus notes Germany's slip in PISA, IGLU/PIRLS, and TIMSS rankings, emphasizing the need for improvement. The association supports the extension of the Digital Pact (School) to enhance digital infrastructure and reliable administration.
The Didacta Association welcomes the coalition's commitment to upgrading early childhood education, including language Kindergartens, mandatory language tests, and support for four-year-olds. It also advocates for strengthening vocational and academic education equality and addressing vocational choice competence in schools.
Furthermore, the association supports the reinforcement of further and continuing education, such as through Aufstiegs-BAföG, and streamlining the bureaucratic process. It calls for relevant educational goals, personnel, and financial resources for early childhood education and questions how the coalition will address the high number of young people without a degree.
The Didacta Association's recommendations aim to improve Germany's education system, which is vital for the country's economy, innovation, and democracy. The association welcomes the coalition's digital education commitments and early childhood education upgrades but awaits further details on addressing youth without degrees and other key educational policy points.
